What you need to know
Senate District 4 covers all of Chambers County, a large portion of Montgomery County and parts of Jefferson, Harris and Galveston counties, serving a total population of 954,803 people at the time of the 2020 census.
Prospective candidates have until March 3 to file to appear on the special election ballot, according to the governor’s proclamation. Unlike a general election, special elections do not include primary races.
On Oct. 2, Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon resigned from his position to run for Senate District 4. Ligon has been the county’s district attorney for 17 years and will remain in that role until Abbott appoints a successor, as previously reported by Community Impact.
In a statement announcing his campaign, Ligon said his experience as a law enforcement officer and district attorney made him a strong candidate.
“I am asking the people of SD 4 for their trust and their vote,” Ligon said. “I can assure you that no one will work harder than I to earn it.”
Creighton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the Texas Senate, each endorsed Ligon, according to his campaign website. Patrick said Ligon was “one of Texas’ preeminent voices on criminal justice and public safety.”
Other candidates had not been announced as of press time. Whoever wins the special election will serve the remainder of Creighton’s term, which runs until January 2027. The seat is up for reelection in 2026.
How we got here
Creighton, who hails from Conroe, resigned from his Senate seat Oct. 2 after being selected as Texas Tech’s next chancellor and chief executive officer. He also served in the Texas House and was a state lawmaker for about 18 years.
“I see no more important role for me than to work among the brightest of our university students that will shape and define the future of Texas, not only by advancing our influence in free markets, but also through technology, medicine, research and innovation,” Creighton, the former chair of the Senate Education Committee, said in his Oct. 2 resignation letter.
Creighton became chancellor-elect immediately after he resigned and will be sworn in as the university system’s sixth chancellor Nov. 19, according to the system.
One more thing
As of press time, two seats in the 31-member Texas Senate were vacant. During the upcoming Nov. 4 election, Tarrant County voters will have the opportunity to elect new representation for Senate District 9, which former Sen. Kelly Hancock vacated this summer to become acting state comptroller.
